1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to packing devices for use in wellbores.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oil wells (also referred to “wells” as “wellbores”) are drilled in earth formations for producing hydrocarbons (oil and gas) from subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs. To produce hydrocarbons, a wellbore is drilled to a desired depth. A production string comprising equipment configured to retrieve the hydrocarbons is then placed in the drilled wellbore for producing hydrocarbons from one or more reservoirs, to be transported to the surface. Often, such equipment includes one or more packing elements (generally referred to as “packers”) that are placed at selected locations in the wellbore to isolate certain sections of the wellbore. Generally, a packer includes a sealing member, made from an expandable material, such as rubber or a suitable polymer. Some packers use a bladder that is expanded by pumping a fluid therein. The outer surface of the expanded bladder presses against the inside of the wellbore or a pipe inserted into the wellbore, sealing the wellbore section below the packer from the wellbore section above the packer. Recently, shape-conforming memory materials have been proposed for use in packers. In such cases, the shape-conforming memory material in the packer is heated to or above its glass transition temperature to cause it to expand. The shape-conforming memory material is compressed to a desired shape. The packer containing compressed shape-conforming memory material is deployed in the well. Once deployed, the wellbore heat causes the shape-conforming memory material to expand to its initial shape, which shape is sufficient to press against the well wall or a tubular inside the well so as to seal the well section above the packer from the well section below the packer.
The present disclosure provides devices, such as packers, that may be electrically-engaged and hydraulically-set in a well.